Career and Education Opportunities for Manicurists in McAllen, Texas

McAllen, Texas provides a wide variety of opportunities, both career and educational, for manicurists. Currently, 3,980 people work as manicurists in Texas. This is expected to grow by 36% to about 5,420 people by 2016. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for manicurists are expected to grow by about 18.8%. In general, manicurists clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails.

The income of a manicurist is about $8 hourly or $18,050 yearly on average in Texas. In the U.S. as a whole, their income is about $9 hourly or $19,670 yearly on average. Compared with people working in the overall category of Personal Care, people working as manicurists in Texas earn less. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Personal Care nationally.

The McAllen area is home to nine schools of higher education, including one within twenty-five miles of McAllen where you can get a degree as a manicurist. Manicurists usually hold a post-secondary certificate, so you can expect to spend a short time training to become a manicurist if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Manicurist

Manicurist video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, manicurists clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. They also may polish or decorate nails.

Manicurists clean and sanitize tools and work environments. They also advise patrons on nail care and use of products and colors. Equally important, manicurists have to apply undercoats and clear or colored polish onto nails with brushes. They are often called upon to shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, and emery boards. They are expected to remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs. Finally, manicurists treat nails to repair or improve strength and resilience by wrapping, or furnish treatment to nail biters.

Every day, manicurists are expected to be able to articulate ideas and problems. They need to understand what others are saying to them even in a noisy environment. It is also important that they control and manipulate objects at a fine level of detail.

It is important for manicurists to attach paper forms to tips of customers' fingers to support and shape artificial nails. They are often called upon to brush powder and solvent onto nails and paper forms to preserve nail appearance and to extend nails, then remove forms and shape and smooth nail edges using rotary abrasive wheel. They also decorate patrons' nails by piercing them or attaching ornaments or designs. They are sometimes expected to roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel. Somewhat less frequently, manicurists are also expected to clean customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.

Manicurists sometimes are asked to polish nails, using powdered polish and buffer. and soften nail cuticles with water and oil, push back cuticles, using cuticle knife, and trim cuticles, using scissors or nippers. And finally, they sometimes have to whiten underside of nails with white paste or pencil.

Like many other jobs, manicurists must be reliable and have strong self control in the face of challenging situations.

Makeup Artist. Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.

Personal Home Care Aide. Assist elderly or disabled adults with daily living activities at the person's home or in a daytime non-residential facility. Duties performed at a place of residence may include keeping house (making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes) and preparing meals. May provide meals and supervised activities at non-residential care facilities. May advise families, the elderly, and disabled on such things as nutrition, cleanliness, and household utilities.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Manicurist Training

University of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences - McAllen, TX

University of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences, 8401 N 10th St, McAllen, TX 78504. University of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences is a small university located in McAllen, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 315 students. University of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences has 2 areas of study related to Manicurist. They are:

Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, less than one year and one to two year which graduated 128 and 128 students respectively in 2008.

Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist, less than one year which graduated 35 students in 2008.

LOCATION INFORMATION: McAllen, Texas

McAllen, Texas photo by L1CENSET0K1LL

Mcallen is located in Hidalgo County, Texas. It has a population of over 129,776, which has grown by 22.0% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Mcallen, 81, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Mcallen cost $174,400 on average, which is near the state average. In 2008, five hundred seventy-three new homes were constructed in Mcallen, down from seven hundred fifty-four the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Mcallen are educational services, health care, and accommodation and food services. For men, it is construction, educational services, and health care. The average travel time to work is about 19 minutes. More than 23.6% of Mcallen residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 8.7%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Mcallen is 7.4%, which is less than Texas's average of 8.1%.

The percentage of Mcallen residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 50.4%, is more than the national average but less than the state average. Emmanuel Baptist Church, Family of Faith Fellowship Church and First Missionary Baptist Church are some of the churches located in Mcallen. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church.

Mcallen is home to the Sam and Marjorie Miller House and the McAllen Memorial Library as well as Schupp Park and Archer Park. Shopping centers in the area include Las Tiendas Plaza Shopping Center and La Plaza Shopping Center.